Dave’s Specialties
- creating music for sync licensing (film, television, and ads)
- mixing and mastering multitrack recording sessions
- complete song production
- audio repair for the occasional boo-boos
- sweetening & mastering your audio
- live music performance (keys)
- remote piano and keyboard tracking for your songs
Over 30 years experience as a professional musician (piano, keyboards, arranging and composing)
Over 20 years experience in audio production, editing and engineering
About Dave Merkel
Combining a unique blend of cultures, traditions, and cutting-edge techniques, composer and producer Dave Merkel brings life to the universal connection of music, leaving listeners feeling as if they have somehow participated in the performance in a way that feels strangely familiar. Spanning orchestral to electronic to hybrid, his sounds are woven into the storylines of life. Trailers, intense action themes, emotive reflective themes, and occasional pop songs come to life on his canvas of silence and emerge as musical sounds.
The foundation of Dave’s diverse music rests on his varied experiences, from 12-years of classical piano training to playing in piano bars, from broadcast producer to performing with the Faculty Jazz Combo at Northwest College. While Dave absorbed the rules through formal education, his vast experience helps him break the rules to bring about the soundtracks of spiritual, emotional, and universal connection. He draws inspiration across the centuries including but not limited to Beethoven, Schumann, Copland, Peter Gabriel, Elton John, Pinar Toprak, Tom Holkenborg, and Trevor Morris.
Merkel has toured full-time as a performing musician, served as fill-in pianist for touring acts, conducted choirs, created custom notated choral arrangements, and provided music for various worship settings. Beyond musical instruction, his broadcast experience merged with his musical experiences to provide mixing & mastering services and track editing for multiple clients.
Montana and its Big Sky provide no shortage of inspiration for Dave to draw from for his own music, and in helping others craft and shape their own through.
“Magical production… I’m thrilled at what Dave did.”
“Dave was great to work with … and produced a product that was exactly what we were looking for, couldn’t be happier!”
“It’s awesome! I love it! Thank you Dave! You’re awesome!”
“Dave is great at what he does, and is a pleasure to work with!”
“Dave has made each of my projects sound better. He has a great combination of good skills, is collaborative, and a patient partnership.”
“I was super pleased with Dave’s professionalism and audio skillset. He had a quick turnaround and delivered an awesome product.”
“Dave was great to work with. He completed the work quickly and made sure I was happy with everything. Very responsive to messages and I am thrilled with the final product. Definitely recommend!”
” … an amazing talent for music.”
“Very good experience. Good partnership, communication, and good end product. I hope we get to do more together.“
“Dave did a great job in a short amount of time putting together the piano music for our musical! Thanks!”
“You are amazing, Dave!”
“Great production, wonderful communication, I’m happy with his work.”
“Dave is amazing!”
“Dave is a huge talent. The things he can do musically are astounding.”
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A bit more
Music is a key component and derivative of life, Dave’s included. The clichés often heard about music have a tendency to ring harmoniously true: music is the common language of the universe; if you want to know and understand someone, listen to the music they’re listening to/playing; music has the power to engage, unify, and move individuals beyond themselves; where words leave off music begins, yet there is nothing more difficult than speaking about music. Music is Dave’s home, escape, and a source of life.
While the numerous genres and cultural nuances of music each seem to offer something highly unique, the underlying message and power of music can move us far beyond ourselves to a place we discover the interconnectedness and interdependency we have with all humanity and creation. Music is, simply put, the language of human unity. From classical music to the syncopation and rhythm-driven hip-hop tunes to the creative and spontaneous flow of improvisation, music contains an underlying message that not only reflects but creates and nurtures life. While Dave is a classically trained pianist and pipe organist, he has come to embrace all forms, expressions, genres and styles of music. Rarely will he play music as written, but instead in a way that fully reflects the movement of the spirit in the moment.
Dave is definitely not the type that appreciates being placed in a box and labeled, and he attempts to afford the same respect to each person he encounters. Labeling and categorizing, while making it seemingly easier for us humans to understand life, is too black and white and inappropriate, leading to a deterioration of the uniqueness and diversity of each individual. As for Dave, you can label him conservative or liberal, progressive or fundamental, godly or devilish, graceful or clumsy, educated or not, simple or complicated, analytical or creative, playful or contemplative. All and none fit. Place him in a box and he’ll suddenly be missing from your meticulously labeled container only to be found in a completely unrelated categorized box. Not to worry, God does that with Dave on occasion too.
Some of life’s simple pleasures include:
- Golf
- Cooking
- Red wine
- Microbrew beer
- The outdoors
- Hiking
- People
- Monastic solitariness
- Freedom
- Space
- Music
- Good storytelling in voice, sound, pictures, printed word, and imagination